Electrical boxes are commonly mounted to a stud or other support structure for supporting an electrical device and enclosing electrical wiring. The electrical boxes are often mounted in a variety of positions and locations in the wall or ceiling. The electrical box is typically attached to the stud or other support structure by nails, screws or other fasteners. In new construction, the electrical box is attached to the building stud with the open front face of the electrical box positioned so that the outer face of the drywall or paneling is essentially flush with the outer edge of the electrical box. In some forms of construction, the stud or other structure does not allow proper orientation of the electrical box so that the open end of the electrical box is recessed with respect to the outer surface of the wall when the wall is installed and finished.
Renovating old construction also can create difficulties in positioning the electrical box with respect to the outer surface of the wall. New wall board or paneling can be applied over existing walls so that the original electrical box is recessed within the wall and is not easily moved or relocated. The recessed electrical box results in the electrical device being recessed with respect to the wall and is not easily accessible.
A number of devices have been proposed providing an adjustable assembly for connecting to an outlet box that can accommodate different thicknesses of wall structures and the spacing between the outer surface of a wall and an electrical box. One example is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,634,015 to Taylor which includes a plate and an open collar disposed on the mounting plate about a central opening. A box frame slides within the collar to contact the side walls of the collar. Adjustment screws are mounted in the box to connect the frame to the collar or the mounting plate to move the box outwardly of the collar.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,645,936 and 8,076,577 to Magno, Jr. disclose a two gang adjustable mud ring. The adjustable mud ring includes a mounting plate for mounting to the open end of an electrical box. The mounting plate includes a collar forming an opening where the collar includes an inwardly extending tab. An extension sleeve slides within the opening of the collar. The extension sleeve has a U-shaped channel along an exterior side wall that allows the tab to travel within the channel. A fastener and wedge-shaped locking devices are coupled to the tab to engage the extension sleeve to lock the extension sleeve in place.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,576,835 to Ford et al. discloses a multi gang junction box. The junction box includes a plurality of removable partition plates that can slide into place within grooves on the inner face of the electrical box
U.S. Pat. No. 6,653,561 to Lalancette et al. discloses an electrical box with a removable partition plate. The partition plate has a frangible end portion which can be broken and removed to alter the length of the partition plate.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2008/0156514 to Webb discloses an adjustable electrical box assembly. The assembly includes a mounting plate with an opening and a box ring slidably received within the opening of the mounting plate. A flange extends outwardly from the wall of the box ring around one of the ends of the box ring. An adjustment mechanism extends between the flange of the box ring and the mounting plate to selectively adjust the distance between the mounting plate and the flange. The flange is in turn mounted directly to the electrical box so that the electrical box moves with the position of the box ring.
Another example is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,931,325 to Filipov. This patent discloses an adjustable mud ring for an electrical box having a plate that can be attached to an electrical box and a collar extending outwardly from the plate. A movable sleeve surrounds the collar and is attached to the collar by screws that adjust the position.
Still another example is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,820,760 to Wegner et al. which discloses an electrical box extension having an extending member for a switch and/or electrical receptacle. The extension member includes fastener brackets and a fastener base bracket. Fasteners extend through the fastener brackets of the base bracket to adjust the relative position of the extending member to the base. Similar adjustable electrical box extensions are disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0051354 and 2005/0082079 to Wegner et al.
Examples of other electrical boxes having an adjustable sleeve or collar to position the electrical device with respect to the electrical box are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 915,381 to Pullets, U.S. Pat. No. 740,663 to Krantz, U.S. Pat. No. 1,875,101 to Morrell, U.S. Pat. No. 2,707,221 to Frank and U.S. Pat. No. 7,301,099 to Korcz.
While the prior devices are generally suitable for the intended purpose, there is a continuing need in the industry for an improved device for mounting an electrical component to an electrical box.